ALUMNI PROFILE
D. Michael Cummins
Executive director, Flathead Valley Chemical Dependency Clinic, Kalispell, Mont.
Bluffton '78
Major: social work
Beginning the journey. In high school, Mike thought he might like to major in natural resources or forestry, but he says, “It soon became clear to me that I needed to do something that would help people and make a difference in the world.” He knew Bluffton had a strong social work program, and the major would allow him to help people in many ways. He finished his degree in three years, opting to do a summer internship and additional independent studies and correspondence classes during regular semesters. 
Exploring paths. After graduation, Mike worked at a mental health agency where he helped people who had been institutionalized return to community life. He then served as a probation counselor for the Delaware County Juvenile Court. From there, he was invited to join the staff of the Delaware County Council on Alcoholism where he did prevention work and earned his addictions counselor license. He eventually became the executive director. Additionally, Mike received his master’s degree in alcohol and drug abuse ministry from the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio.
“The right decision.” In 1987, Mike visited Montana, and it was love at first sight. “I fell in love with the state and went back every summer for a vacation in Glacier National Park.” While on vacation in 1992, Mike learned that the Flathead Valley Chemical Dependency Clinic was searching for an executive director, the same position he currently had in Ohio. “We thought this might not be an opportunity that we should pass by, so I applied,” says Mike. “I was offered the position, and 15 years later, it turned out to be the right decision.”
A rewarding career. As the executive director, Mike supervises the operations of the Flathead clinic in three counties. The nonprofit organization issues outpatient alcohol and drug treatment and gives preventative talks in schools, institutions and communities. Additionally, Mike makes sure that the clinic meets all state and federal requirements for government funding. He says he sees the rewards of his major each day. “The best part of my job is seeing people not only put their lives back together but also blossom as a person and realize their spiritual potential beyond what they might have ever realized if they had not encountered addiction.”
Working in the community. For the past 12 years, Mike has taught counseling classes at Flathead Valley Community College. He is on the college’s advisory board and is a member of the STOP Underage Drinking Coalition, which is comprised of numerous social work, prevention and law enforcement agencies from across the Flathead Valley.
Through the camera lens. In Mike’s free time, he loves to discover the beauty of “The Treasure State” through photography when he camps, hikes and kayaks. He takes photos of the wildlife, mountains and lakes of Montana and enters them in the local county fair—“just for fun.”
— Sarah Shaffer ’10
